Saturday, August 09, 2008

Accountability. It's Time.

The 'right' in all it's various forms, bloggers, news media, columnists, government and staffers have attacked Stephane Dion from the day he became leader.

In my opinion, the Liberal party has often been too slow to respond to some of the nonsense, I suspect because they saw it as inane and more easily dealt with in real terms with policy. In a sense, they were correct, because when Dion came out with the Green Shift, the media changed their tone somewhat.

But now, deep into summer, the media is grasping for stories and it's tilting again.

The columnists on the 'right' of course jumped on the Green Shift from day one. Some are climate change deniers to begin with, so no surprise there, others are simply Harper cheerleaders, who defend him come hell or high water. Journalists aren't off the hook here either though. Initially they reported the Green Shift as only a carbon tax. Slowly they have come around to include the fact that there is also tax relief to ease some of the pain. That's good, but what no one has ever done though, (or few), is to include the fact that both the NDP and Conservative plans, place a price on carbon and offer no relief. Why? I suspect few have any real idea of what an Environmental Policy entails. They just want a story.

Well, time's up imo. I simply can't sit back anymore and listen to, read or watch the Con's and the NDP accuse Dion of implementing the very plan they intend to put forward. It's ridiulous and no one is calling them on it.

The plan that is often described as Dion's is one that would increase prices for Canadians in all areas of their lives, period. That's not Dion's plan. It's Layton's and Harper's. Alice in Wonderland days are over in my mind. It's time to call a plan out for what it is, what it really is.

So, as silly as this might sound, I'm going to write to every journalists or columnist each and every time I see this happen. I'll apply the KISS principle to my mail, but I'll ask that they include fact. I'll also a include links in a full post or at the bottom of a post of the offenders if you would care to join me.

If the public does not keep these guys in line, who will?

As I wrote a while back, I've tried to compile a 'fact check' on media. What's been blatant I've written about here. Real media, hasn't crossed the line too much, save the aforementioned omissions, but the columnists were just too much to contend with. I think now is the time to address them too.

So, I'll provide the links to their e-mail and maybe even cc e-mails to editors where appropriate. If they do not provide e-mail addresses, I'll find a way to reach them or their masters.

knb... I don't expect you to give the NDP plan fair shake that you demand that everyone else gives the Liberal one, so with that being said, let's set the record straight here.

The NDP plan will take the proceeds from Cap and Trade and will use those funds for funds to home retrofits, public transit, and other programs to help people use less carbon, therefore using less energy and saving money. The Liberal plan is to take the proceeds from the carbon tax and put it towards tax cuts, which might put more money in some people pockets, but not all. The Conservative plan has mega soft targets and if it actually collects and funds, they don't plan on putting anything towards using less.

If you want to try to lump the NDP and Con plans together, it's disingenous and it doesn't help your plea for "accountability".

Many thanks for your ongoing balanced & fair minded treatment. I too am tired of the one sidedness to this Climate Change debate and the seemingly contrived confusion practised by the Con & NDP party's; aided & abetted by the msm ... I'm keen to vigourously assist you in this mission.

I definitely will join your movement to keep media honest and keep our news relevant. The local papers here in the Okanagan continue to give our local Conservative M.L.A's a column and at the top of the page each time is a large heading of NEWS. The so called article last month had M.P. Colin Mayes started of " Have you see question period lately? it then goes on to bash the Liberals for questioning the governments role in the Cadman tape, and stating they now have experts that disclaim the accusations. Then he goes on to defend Maxime Bernier and how he made an honest mistake. This article came out early July and I know for a fact he writes an article every two to three weeks, why did he not write about these things when the house was actually sitting for question period. He closes his article by stating " In spite of these distracting, fabricated dramas and accusations by the opposition, our government is moving forward with priorities and getting the job done." The newspaper should have to charge these guys for advertising, the very next week the provincial Liberals had to pay to circulate a full page advertising on how to live greener and lower emissions and how the carbon tax benefits the fight on global warming. They have to pay to help our society and the Conservatives get all the free journalism they need to destroy our society? This same newspaper( which is Kelowna's biggest) two weeks later publishes a half page letter to the editor with the heading "Global Warming a Natural Process" The constant cartoons slamming Dion, Campbell and the Liberals is getting to be too much, I can't be the only one who objects to this one sided point of view from a trusted media outlet. Maybe we will have laws against such "false advertising" but until then your way may be the best way to combat it. Another good example is Michael Ignatief is going to be speaking here in five days to speak about the "Green Shift Plan" and all I have seen for coverage is a small inch and half story explaining when and where? ( incidentally 5:00 p.m. Thursday Aug.14th at the K.L.O. college)

The next federal election should not be fought on either the economy or the environment, but on the cultural direction this neoconservative government (along with its allies in the Christian right) is attempting to take the country. That Harper and his gang of throwbacks remain stalled in the polls makes me optimistic Canadians are seeing through the thin veneer of this troublesome movement.

Cam, we've had this discussion and you know I'm not lumping the 2 plans together.

I'm simply saying that the media never mention the fact that both the NDP and Con plan will put a price on carbon, which will increase the price of the same things that Conservatives are saying the Lib plan will.

To my knowledge and his credit, I don't think Layton has said that, but as I said, that's not my point.

No knb, it is the Capital News that has a mass free circulation throughout the valley, and there are plenty of others who write in to correct misinformations, however the paper is definately one sided. This should not be too hard to believe since the last time a federal liberal was an M.P. here was I think back in 1967 or so. I know there is a big difference between the Progressive Conservatives and the Conservative we have now, but the roots are still deep I believe.